WATCHING the 8pm TV3 news showing the floods in Kuala Terengganu last Saturday reminded me of how inconsiderate some people can be.

The prime news showed clogged waterways in most parts of the flooded areas. The flotsam and jetsam were evident when the water subsided. Obviously, the floods in some of those areas were the result of blockages caused by the massive waste found in the waterways.

Loads of rubbish were seen obstructing the flow of water in drains, streams and culverts. There were plastic material, papers, bottles, cans, broken pails and used furniture, metal pieces and wooden frames, to name some.

In other words, the waterways were conveniently turned into a dumping ground for almost everything discarded by some uncaring citizens.

The clogging of waterways occurs almost all over the country. Seemingly, the most expedient way for some to get rid of rubbish is to throw it into the drains, streams and rivers.
The beaches are not spared either, despite the presence of rubbish bins. It appears that some people have no love for the environment or are ignorant of the adverse effects of this habit.

Can we ever learn from our habit of polluting the waterways?

Perhaps we will become more aware of the consequences of such action after experiencing floods which destroy the infrastructure and the environment. Our memory is sometimes short, though. We tend to forget about it after a while and get back to our usual dumping habits.

The reason for this quandary is understandable.

The habit of keeping the environment clean has not become a way of life and part of our culture. This is regrettable. Despite the demand by environmentalists that we should refrain from polluting our waterways, there are some who are unresponsive to this advice.

Why is it that some developed countries have cleaner environments and the people are more aware of cleanliness and the hazards of littering or dumping unwanted materials into waterways? It's because these anti-pollution habits have become part of their culture.

Why are the public toilets clean, the beaches not plagued with rubbish, the streams and rivers unspoilt and unclogged? It's because the people take the responsibility to keep them clean. It's their culture to conduct themselves in such a manner.

They do not depend on others to clean up their mess. We do not see cleaners waiting in the toilet to clear up the mess, as in some of our public toilets.

After every night market, we see litter strewn all over the place. Traders and customers expect the municipal workers to clean up after them. When restaurants are built near rivers or streams, the convenient way to dispose of the refuse is to throw it into these waterways.

All this boils down to a way of living replete with destructive habits. Despite studying good values in schools, many have not made them part of their way of life.

Perhaps the media can play a more crucial role in educating the public on the adverse effects of clogging the waterways.

The media should keep on highlighting the adverse effects of this habit and beyond that, there has to be stringent enforcement and penalties imposed on wrongdoers to educate them on the dangers of dumping waste into waterways.